Apparatus for massaging gums.



G. P. TAGAIL.

APPARATUS PoR MAssAGING GUMs.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 19, 1913.

1,09 1 ,090. Patentedv Mar. 24, 1914 CHARLES PAUL TACAL, 0F PARIS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR MASSAGING- G'UMS'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

Application filed February 19, 1913. Serial No. 749,367.

.T 0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES PAUL TACAIL, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Apparatus for Messaging Gums, of which the following is a specication. l

This invention relates to massage apparatus and has for its object to provide a device particularly adapted to treating the gums for inflammation and other ailments to lwhich the gums are particularly susceptib e.

The improved device is primarily intended to establish normal circulation of thel blood in the gums and at the same time 4to expel septic matter from sores or ulcers formed therein. j i

In order that the invention may be clearly understood it will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example a preferred form of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a massage device constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 being a sectional view thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of portions of the device. Fig. 5 being a diagrammatic view illustrating the application of the device.

Referring now to the drawings, the device illustrated resembles a tooth brush of small dimensions so as to permit of its introductioninto the mouth as far back as possible, being composed of a metal frame a having a handle b, which may be of any suitable shape and formed integral with the frame or attached thereto in any convenientmanner.

The frame a is provided with a cover d secured thereto by means of a hinge c adjacent to the handle Z), thus enabling all parts of the device to be thoroughly and readily sterilized after use. Mounted upon transversely extending pivot-pins e, suitably secured in each side of the frame@ are rollers f and f1 which are free to rotate on the pins e and project below the base of the frame (t.

As will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 3, the rollers f and f1 which may be made of more or less hard material, as for instance rubber, metal, ivory orV the like, are provided with helical teeth arranged in the same sense or direction but having different angular inclinations relative to the axis of the roller, the periphery of the rollers thus comprising grooves and ridges, the latter of which constitute the operating surfaces of the massage device.

The device being introduced into the mouth, the projecting part of the rollers is brought`into contact with the 'gum which is to be massaged, a slight pressure being exerted upon the gum by means of the device, which is moved alternately backward and forward and causes the massage surfaces to impart suitable and repeated vibrations or shocks which reestablish normal circulation of the blood in the case of inflammation of the gums.

Owing to the inclination of the teeth of the massage rollers, the operative surfaces are inclined to the .gum and may be arranged to effect the expulsion of the septic matter at the surface of the gum adjacent to the teeth. In order that this action may be properly effected it is desirable that the inclination of the massage surface should be sufficiently great, without, however, preventing the intermittent pressure or vibration on the gums above referred to. It will be seen that if the teeth are too much inclined, the surfaces of contact of the rollers on the gum would follow each other continuously and the desired intermittent pressure or vibrations are not obtained. Generallv speaking the inclination of the teeth should be approximately 45, but may be varied as desired and relative to the size of the grooves and ridges.

In order to insure as far as possible massage vibrations on the one hand and on the other hand to increase as much as possible the section of expulsion, the rollers are provided with teeth of different inclinations, so that each of the rollers fulfils its particular function, that is to say the roller having the less inclined teeth effects the necessary massage whereas the roller having the more inclined teeth serves to expel the septic matter. Considering more particularly this latter object, if, as shown in Fig. 5, the rollers f and f1 are assumed to be in contact with the external gum of the lower jaw, it will be seen that the path of the massage surfaces on the rollers indicated in dotted lines, will follow the lines g 71, and i j on the um. g Assuming the whole device to be moved in the direction of the arrow la it is evident that the direction of the resulting massage by the two rollers would be indicated by the lines m a and o p toward the points m and o. Under the action of the massage in this direction the septic matter would be brought to the level Q of the neck of the teeth.

lt should be noted that if the device were to be moved in the opposite direction indicated by the arrow r, the massage eected would tend`to drive the septic matter to the roots of the teeth, so that the device must be operated in a direction suitable to the gum to be inassaged. For this purpose the device is provided With arrows and indications (not shown), suoli as top and bottom, or upper and lower on each face of the device, of which note should be taken according to the gum to be inassaged and also according to whether it is the upper or lower jaw.

As shown in Fig. 4, the device may be provided with two rollers having oppositely arranged helical teeth especially when required for effecting simple massage, this arrangement possessing the advantage that when the device is moved in either direction theV respectivek rollers would exert on the gum a massage having opposite eli'ects. The simple massage thus effected being more distributed, will have a greater action in restoring normal circulation in the gums.

lt Will be understood that the invention is not limited tothe particular construction and arrangement herein described and illustrated in the drawings, and various modifiv scope of the invention.

Claims:

l. A massage device adapted to fit alongside of the gums within the mouth of a person, comprising two rollers, a frame in which said rollers are mounted in tandem provided witliasuitable handle, the surfaces of the rollers being provided with helical ridges having opposite inclinations and adapted when the device is in use to slidingly engage with and roll upon the surfaces of the gums and exercise the flesh thereof, and to produce a movement toward the neck of the teeth of any sept-ic matter contained in the gums. f

2. A massage device adapted to fit alongside of the gums within the mouth of a person, comprising two rollers, a frame in which said rollers are mounted in tandem provided with a closed smooth casing over the back of said rollers, and a suitable handle in line with said frame, the surfaces of the rollers being provided with helical ridges adapted when the device is in use to slidingly engage with and roll upon the surfaces of the gums and exercise the flesh thereof.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. i

CHARLES PAUL T CAIL.

Witnesses:

` HANsoN C. Coxn,

REN BARDY. 

